2018 SIAC Football ALL-Conference Honors Announced

Morehouse Football Leads SIAC With 11 All-Conference Selections https://t.co/Tj4abZ31FH

— Morehouse Athletics (@MaroonTigers) November 9, 2018

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- Quarterback Ahmad Deramus of Tuskegee headlines the 2018 All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Football All-Conference team after earning the Overall Player of the Year (MVP) while Running back Santo Dunn of Morehouse earned Offensive Player of the Year award. The team, which features 26 student-athletes covering eleven positions, was voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
The SIAC Football Championship is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 10 and will feature the 2018 Defensive Player of the Year, Linebacker Austin Stephens of Miles. Defensive End D.J. Horne of Tuskegee earned Freshman of the Year plaudits while Wide receiver Kevin Greenhow of Central State has been named Newcomer of the Year.
 
Rich Freeman of Morehouse was tabbed the 2018 SIAC Coach of the Year.
 
Ahmad Deramus of Tuskegee earned the Overall Player of the Year (MVP) award and is the first Golden Tiger to receive this award since 2015. The junior quarterback is currently No. 24 in Division II and leads the league in passing efficiency completing 54.2 percent of his passes allowing only four interceptions on the season. Deramus is currently majoring in Business Finance and has earned the Offensive Player of the Week award twice this season.
 
Sophomore running back Santo Dunn of Morehouse leads the league in rushing yards (790), scoring (8.7 points per game), and scoring touchdowns (13). The Miami, Florida native is also ranked No. 38 in Division II in rushing yards, tied for No. 25 in scoring and for No. 17 in total touchdowns. One of Dunn’s top performances came against Division I opponent, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, as he led the Maroon Tiger offensive attack finishing with 159 rushing yards on only 14 carries. This performance earned Dunn the Offensive Player of the Week accolade during the first week of this season.
 
Austin Stephens of Miles garnered the title of Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league and being tied at No. 34 in Division II in tackles. The Munford, Ala. native collected 50 solo and 58 assist tackles for a total of 108 tackles on the season.
 
Freshman defensive end D.J. Horne is tied at No. 8 in the league in sacs (4) on the season and has secured the Freshman of the Year award. The Lawrenceville, Ala. native is the first Golden Tiger to receive this award since its introduction in 2013. Horne’s rookie season consisted of 23 tackles on the season (14 solo; nine assist), five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a breakup.
 
Kevin Greenhow of Central State has made history as he is the first Central State player to receive a regular season award in the Marauders Division II era within the league. After being named Newcomer of the Week for three consecutive weeks, Greenhow finished the season posting 880 receiving yards and nine touchdowns with his best performance coming against western opponent, Tuskegee. The 6’3 wide receiver currently leads the league in receiving yards and is the first Marauder to record back-to-back games of 200 or more receiving yards since the 1995 season. Ending the season with a 5-5 overall record, CSU tied its best record since the program was reinstated in 2005.
 
Freeman, a 15 year veteran of the football coaching fraternity just completed his eleventh season at Morehouse College. Hired in March of 2007, Freeman directed his first Morehouse team to a surprising 7-3 record and into the upper echelon of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), where the Maroon Tigers took permanent residence, with the mantra, “Play Fast, Hard, and Smart”. The Maroon Tigers end the 2018 campaign repeating their 2007 record with a 7-3 overall record and a second place finish in the SIAC eastern division after being picked to finish fourth in the pre-season predicted order of finish.
 
Morehouse led the all-conference teams with eleven selections. Tuskegee followed up with ten selections ahead of Kentucky State who had six selections. Albany State, Benedict, and Central State placed five on the all-conference team preceding Fort Valley State and Miles who place three each. Clark Atlanta and Lane rounded out the 2018 SIAC All-Conference team with two selection each.
  
(complete team listed below) 
2018 SIAC Football All-Conference Team 
First Team
 

Martesse Patterson	Offensive Lineman	Tuskegee	Columbus, Ohio
Jean Cyriaque	Offensive Lineman	Morehouse	Durham, NC
Justin Brown	Offensive Lineman	Benedict	Marietta, Ga.
Marcus Campbell	Offensive Lineman	Kentucky State	Radcliff, Ky.
Rochelin Romain	Offensive Lineman	Tuskegee	Pompano Beach, Fl.
Ryan Edwards	Tight End	Morehouse	Atlanta, Ga.
Leonard Tyree	Wide Receiver	Miles	Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Kevin Greenhow	Wide Receiver	Central State	Columbus, Oh.
Santo Dunn	Running Back	Morehouse	Miami, Fl.
Terraris Saffold	Running Back	Central State	Hayneville, Ala.
Trent Mays	Quarterback	Central State	Stuebenville, Oh.
Rickym Holmes	Defensive Lineman	Benedict	Baltimore, MD.
Kameron Rogers	Defensive Lineman	Clark Atlanta	Washington, D.C.
Terance Leatherwood	Defensive Lineman	Tuskegee	Northport, Ala.
Brayce McKinzie	Defensive Lineman	Lane	Geneva, Fl.
Kailen Abrams	Linebacker	Central State	Detroit, Mi.
Austin Stephens	Linebacker	Miles	Munford, Ala.
Davoris Thomas	Linebacker	Tuskegee	Mobile, Ala.
Camron Young	Defensive Back	Fort Valley State	Eastman, Ga.
Robert Cummings	Defensive Back	Benedict	Macon, Ga.
Mandell Ray	Defensive Back	Morehouse	Lafayette, Ala.
Traviontae Brown	Defensive Back	Benedict	Albany, Ga.
Gabriel Ballinas	Kicker	Albany State	Guadalupe, Mexico
Turner Warren	Punter	Kentucky State	Louisville, KY
Michael Nero	Punt Returner	Kentucky State	Louisville, KY
Michael Nero	Kick Returner	Kentucky State	Louisville, KY

 
Second Team
 

Darrius Hicks	Offensive Lineman	Fort Valley State	Camilla, Ga.
Trey Wilson	Offensive Lineman	Morehouse	Lawrenceville, Ga.
Aaron Scroggins	Offensive Lineman	Miles	Bessemer, Ala.
Lee Humphrey	Offensive Lineman	Morehouse	Plano, Il.
Cordarius Smith	Offensive Lineman	Tuskegee	Columbus, Ga.
Robert Corbin, Jr.	Tight End	Central State	Cincinnati, Oh.
Tremell Gooden	Wide Receiver	Morehouse	Atlanta, Ga.
Javarrius Cheatham	Wide Receiver	Tuskegee	Greenville, Ala.
Tracy Scott	Running Back	Albany State	Greenville, S.C.
McKinley Habersham	Running Back	Albany State	Savannah, Ga
Michael Sims	Quarterback	Morehouse	Detroit, Mi.
Antonio Johnson	Defensive Lineman	Morehouse	Birmingham, Ala.
Devonta Ramseur	Defensive Lineman	Tuskegee	Shelby, North Carolina
Deonte Jackson	Defensive Lineman	Albany State	Fairburn, Ga.
Charles Williams	Defensive Lineman	Benedict	Barnwell, S.C.
Julien Turner	Linebacker	Morehouse	Pickerington, Oh.
Kalil Gray	Linebacker	Tuskegee	Union City, Ga.
Myrthel Stewart	Linebacker	Kentucky State	Glenwood, Ill.
Kelvin Murray	Defensive Back	Morehouse	Orlando, Fl.
Darnell Hill	Defensive Back	Tuskegee	Miami, Fla.
Rorrick Steward	Defensive Back	Tuskegee	Decatur, Ala.
Matthew Bizmana	Defensive Back	Kentucky State	Louisville, KY
Carlos Saldana	Kicker	Clark Atlanta	Austell, Ga.
Gabriel Ballinas	Punter	Albany State	Guadalupe, Mexico
Lorenzo Smothers	Punt Returner	Fort Valley State	Buena Vista, Ga.
Anthony Evelyn	Kick Returner	Lane	Atlantic Beach, FL

  
Overall Player of the Year (MVP): Ahmad Deramus, Tuskegee
Offensive Player of the Year: Santo Dunn, Morehouse
Defensive Player of the Year: Austin Stephens, Miles
Freshman of the Year: D.J. Horne, Tuskegee
Newcomer of the Year: Kevin Greenhow, Central State
Coach of the Year: Rich Freeman, Morehouse

SIAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Howard Blow Out NJIT Highlanders, 77-57

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Coach Ty Grace and the Howard University women's basketball team overcame a slow start to blow out the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Highlanders 77-57 in the home opener at Burr Gymnasium.

Howard (2-0, 0-0 MEAC) started the game slowly as NJIT took a 7-3 lead with 4:47 to go in the first quarter. They missed some shots early and committed several turnovers. That led to the Highlanders taking an 11-10 lead after the first quarter. "We did start off really slow, the shots weren't falling, so whenever that happens, we always emphasize the defense. I think our defense rattled them a little bit, and we started picking up the tempo that way, so it definitely changed the momentum of the game," said Coach Ty.

But the Bison didn't panic and instead continued to force NJIT into turning the ball over. NJIT committed 30 turnovers for the game, which led to 33 Howard points. "We definitely always talk about pressuring people, especially if they don't have the best ball handlers so our guards do a good job athletically, getting up on people and understanding angles," said Coach Ty. "We just wanted to press them the whole game so we wore them down, and that's exactly what happened. They started throwing the ball away, getting tired, little fatigued, and we took advantage of that."

At the break, Howard led 26-22. Junior forward Star Fitzgerald-Greer got the Bison going in the second half as she knocked down two three pointers. Fitzgerald-Greer finished with 12 points and registered 3-of-6 shots from behind the arc. Her ability to stretch the floor helped open up room for other players to operate and they capitalized. Sophomore Sarah Edmond benefited from the extra space to finish with a team-high 18 points.

"Star definitely stretches the defense, she's an unconventional big, being 6'3", the ability to step out and shoot like that, definitely is an advantage for us. Since she stretches the defense, people don't look for her in those situations, but moving forward she's definitely going to get scouted a lot better, knowing that she can knock them like that," said Coach Ty.

The Bison also got a lot of production from their bench. Howard finished with 34 bench points, while NJIT got just five points from their reserves. Sophomore Jayla Thornton scored 14 points off the bench and classmate Kelsie Jacobs added 11 points. "We always talk about balance and everybody getting involved, whoever's on the floor at practice, everybody needs to contribute," said Coach Ty. "We talk about contribution and being productive when you're on the court and they definitely took advantage of their opportunities tonight. So I'm proud of them."

Kelly Guarino scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Highlanders and Tatianna Torres finished with a double-double, 12 points and 10 boards.

The Bison continue their season on Monday (Nov. 12) when they travel to Williamsburg to take on William & Mary.

About Howard University Athletics
The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.

Noah Goodin, Sports Management, HU '19
HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Bethune-Cookman Overcomes, Outlasts Liberty 81-76 In OT

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Angel Golden scored 20 points and Chasimmie Brown 18 as Bethune-Cookman downed Liberty in overtime 81-76 Friday night in Historic Moore Gym.

The Lady Wildcats (2-0) pulled away from a 76-76 tie, taking the lead on an Amaya Scott free throw with 1:09 remaining, than Armani Walker made a steal and went coast-to-coast for a 79-76 lead with 50 seconds to play. Freshmen Tania White and Kiana Williams each added a free throw to seal the win.

Ashanti Hunt and Scott each scored 10 points for Bethune-Cookman.

Emily Lytle, who sent the game into overtime with three free throws with 0.3 seconds remaining in regulation, led Liberty (0-1) with 24.

Golden, the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year, gave BCU a quick 69-66 lead in overtime, but would be called for her fifth foul soon after. Likewise for Hunt after her two free throws made it 71-69 with 4:12 left.

Brown, a senior, took over the leadership role in a team effort that saw five players combine for the Lady Wildcats final 10 points.

Williams, a freshman, gave B-CU a 76-74 lead with a driving lay-up with 1:46. Her stat line included nine points, seven assists and four rebounds. Walker also had nine points.

BCU travels to play USF Thursday.

BOX SCORE

ATTENDANCE: 317

NOTES: BCU now 2-0 for the second straight year … Liberty was an NCAA tournament team last season. BCU has now its last three overtime games … This was Golden's 13th career 20 point games … BCU missed its first seven 3FGs, but finished 5-14 from the field … Brown had eight rebounds.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Late First-Half Run Sparks Panthers To Season-Opening Win At Santa Clara, 81-64

SANTA CLARA, California -- A decisive run late in the first half sparked the Prairie View A&M men's basketball team to an 81-64 win at Santa Clara Friday night.

Gary Blackston scored a game-high 30 points to lead four Panthers in double figures while also adding eight rebounds. Gerard Andrus scored 14 points and had seven rebounds, and Taishaun Johnson also scored 14 points and had four rebounds and six assists. Darius Williams added 10 points off the bench as PVAMU shot 53 percent from the field (31-58) and committed only nine turnovers while recording nine steals and 14 assists.

The Prairie View A&M defense was impressive in the season-opening win on the road, limiting Santa Clara to 37 percent shooting (21-57) and forced 20 turnovers.

A 23-8 run over the final seven+ minutes of the half gave Prairie View A&M an 18-point halftime lead. A pair of free throws by Andrus and a layup by Johnson started the spurt in which five different players scored. A layup by Dennis Jones just before halftime gave the Panthers a 42-24 halftime lead.

BOX SCORE

ATTENDANCE: 1621

Andrus had eight of his 14-first half points during the run, and Blackston seven of his 13 first-half points during the run. PVAMU shot 51.5 percent from the field (17-33), while limiting Santa Clara to 33.3 percent (9-27) during the first 20 minutes.

Prairie View A&M returns to action Monday in a 7 p.m. game at Baylor. The Panther Sports Network radio broadcast begins at 6:45 p.m. at pvpanthers.com/baylor, and the game will also be televised on the Fox Sports Network Alternate channel.

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

GSU uses big first quarter in win over McNeese, 75-51

GRAMBLING, Louisiana | The Grambling State University women's basketball team used a big first quarter and did not look back in picking up its first win of the young season, 75-51, over McNeese State on Friday night at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
 
The Lady Tigers (1-1) led 17-7 after one quarter and outscored the Cowgirls (0-1), 21-11, to take a 38-18 advantage into the half. Despite being outscored, 21-16, in the third quarter, Grambling State held McNeese to 12 points in the final period to cruise to the 75-51 win.
 
Shakyla Hill finished just two assists and two steals from a triple double. The senior guard finished with a game-high 19 points, on 8-of-12 shooting, eight assists, eight steals and five rebounds to pace Grambling State. Madison Connally-Banks registered 12 points, while Candice Parramore added 10 points. Jasmine Forte chipped in with a team-high nine boards and seven points.
 
Callie Maddox paced McNeese with 17 points and three rebounds. Divine Tanks registered a double-double with a game-high 19 boards, 11 coming on the defensive end, and 13 points.
 
Turning Point
Grambling State jumped out to a 10-3 advantage after a layup by Shakyla Hill with 6:14 remaining in the opening period and extended the margin to 12-4 after two free throws by Candice Parramore with 2:35 left in the quarter.
 
A 3-pointer by Callie Maddox closed the gap to 12-7 with 2:26 left in the first, but the Lady Tigers finished the period strong with five straight points to take a 17-7 lead into the second.
 
McNeese never got any closer as Grambling State pushed the advantage to as many as 23 points (36-13) after a jumper by Markisha Body with 3:29 remaining in the second.
 
In the second half, the Cowgirls cut the deficit to 50-37 after a layup by Divine Tanks with 1:16 left in the period, but the Lady Tigers extended the advantage to 54-37 after a bucket by Hannah Henderson with 59 seconds left in the quarter.
 
In the final period, Grambling State put the game away with a small 9-4 run, capped by jumper by Parramore to push the margin back to 20 points (63-43) with 7:01 left.

Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State was 32-of-60 (53.3 percent) shooting and 9-of-26 (34.6 percent) from the charity stripe
> McNeese shot 29.5 percent (18-of-61) from the field and 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from the free-throw line
> GSU registered 38 rebounds, including 27 on the defensive end
> The Cowgirls pulled down 47 rebounds, with 27 coming off the defensive glass
> Grambling State finished with 50 points in the paint, 29 bench points, 27 points off 29 Cowgirl turnovers, seven second-chance points and six fast-break points
> McNeese tallied 25 bench points, 22 points in the paint, 12 off 22 Lady Tiger turnovers and 10 second-chance points

BOX SCORE
 
News and Notes
> Shakyla Hill surpassed the 1,500-point plateau during the win
> Shakyla Hill now has 700 rebounds for her collegiate career
> Jazmin Boyd is now just two points shy of 1,000 for her collegiate career
 
Up Next
Grambling State returns to action on Sunday as the Lady Tigers visit Southern Miss. Tip-off in Hattiesburg, Miss. is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Black Friday value puts Nuggets in GCAC final again

NEW ORLEANS — Kayla Black won a slew of honors Thursday but did not rest on her laurels Friday.
    
Black had 22 kills — the most ever by a Xavier University of Louisiana player in a three-set match — and led the Gold Nuggets to a 25-17, 25-19, 25-13 volleyball victory against Edward Waters in the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conferenc Tournament at SUNO's The Castle.
     
The Gold Nuggets (25-6) will play Tougaloo or Dillard at 2 p.m. Saturday at SUNO. XULA seeks its eighth consecutive GCAC Tournament championship victory and automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship tournament.
     
Black — named Thursday as the league's Player of the Year and Attacker of the Year — broke the XULA three-set kills record for the second consecutive match. She had 20 Sunday in a victory against Tougaloo. Black hit .486 against Edward Waters in 35 attacks.
     
Jaida Dowd had nine kills and clinched the first and second sets with kills. Angele McClain had five kills and two blocks, and her solo block ended the match.
     
Eva Le Guillou had 42 assists for the Gold Nuggets. Taylor Ducros and Adili Rikondja served two aces apiece. Beatrice Formilan had 10 digs, and Elena Duru had two blocks.

BOX SCORE
     
Nerealice Quirindongo Torres had six kills and two aces for the Lady Tigers (13-11), and Andrea Diaz Merced had 12 digs.
     
XULA outhit Edward Waters .276 to .015 and had advantages of 46-13 in kills, 7-3 in aces, 37-27 in digs and 4-2 in blocks.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
XULAgold.com
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Road To The Championship HBCU Football Schedule, Week 11

SATURDAY, November 10, 2018

MEAC
Howard at Norfolk State, 1 PM  TV: ESPN3
North Carolina A&T State at Savannah State, 1 PM  TV: ESPN3
Delaware State at Morgan State, 1 PM  TV: ESPN3
South Carolina State at Florida A&M, 4 PM  TV: ESPN3
Bethune-Cookman 28, North Carolina Central 25 2OT, Thursday

SWAC
Hampton at Mississippi Valley State, 2 PM
Grambling State at Alabama A&M, 2 PM, Stats
Jackson State at Alabama State, 3 PM  TV: ESPN3, HSN  Audio  
Arkansas Pine Bluff at Southern, 5 PM, Stats  Audio
Bye: Alcorn State, Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern

OVC
Jacksonville State at Tennessee State, 3 PM   TV: ESPN+

OTHER CONFERENCES
McKendree at Lincoln (MO), 1 PM
West Virginia Wesleyan at West Virginia State, 1 PM
Texas College at Lyons College, 3 PM, Video
Webber International at Edward Waters, 4 PM, Video

2018 CIAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bowie State vs. Fayetteville State at Salem, VA  1 PM, TV: Aspire TV,  theCIAASN

2018 SIAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Albany State vs. Miles College at Fairfield, AL  3 PM, TV: ESPN3

ALL GAME TIMES ARE SHOWN IN EASTERN TIME ZONE

TSU Tigers Return Home to Face #8 Jacksonville State

Tennessee State Game Notes | Jacksonville State Game Notes
2018 Tennessee State Media Guide | Live Stats

Social Media: #BigBlueRising
Twitter: @TSU_Tigers | Instagram: @TSUTigers
Facebook: Tennessee State University Tigers

Game 10: Tennessee State (3-4, 2-3) vs. #8 Jacksonville State (7-2, 6-1)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Stadium: William J. Hale Stadium (15,000)
Time: 2:00 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+
Audio: 102.1 FM
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Series Information: This is the 13th meeting with the Gamecocks leading the series, 10-2. Seven of the 11 contests have been played in Jacksonville, Ala. where the Tigers are 2-5. The series began in 2003 when the Gamecocks became a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. JSU won the very first meeting, 34-7, in 2003. The Tigers first win came in 2006, 38-31. TSU last won in 2013 with a 31-15 victory at JSU.

Last Meeting: TSU closed out the 2017 regular season with a 36-6 loss at No. 2 Jacksonville State. The contest started as a defensive battle, before JSU broke it open in the second half. The Tigers were held to 97 total yards and seven first downs in the contest. The yardage was the lowest amount for a Tiger offense since 2010. TSU’s lone touchdown came in the third quarter as Michael Hughes found Chris Rowland for a 17 yard touchdown strike. TSU was held to 15 yards rushing behind seven sacks totaling 60 yards. Sabree Curtis led the Tigers running game with 57 yards on 12 carries. Micheal Hughes was held in check throwing for 82 yards. The defense spent over 34 minutes on the field and gave up 493 yards of total offense. The Tigers were able to combine for six tackles-for-loss.

Head Coach Rod Reed is in his ninth season at the helm of the Tigers and holds a 52-46 record. Coach Reed earned his 50th victory against Bethune-Cookman and became just the third coach in Tiger history to reach the milestone. John Merritt tops the list with 174 victories in his 20 years (1963-83) for a .806 winning percentage (174-35-7), while Harry Kean spent 10 years in charge of TSU from 1944-54 and compiled a 93-15-3 record (.838). The Big Blue is 8-1 in season openers under Reed, including a 17-10 win at FBS opponent Georgia State in 2017. The lone opening day loss came at the hands of Bethune-Cookman, 12-9, at the 2013 John Merritt Classic.

Tennessee State dropped its final road game of the season at No. 24 Southeast Missouri, 38-21. The Tigers gained 508 yards in the contest, including 253 on the ground. Te’kendrick Roberson rushed for 137 yards on 13 carries, while Earl Harrison ran for 105 yards on 11 touches.  Roberson and Harrison became the first Tiger duo to each run for over 100 yards in a game since Oct. 2, 2010. Dante’ Thomas and Preston Brown accomplished the feat in the Tigers 37-7 win over North Carolina A&T at the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis, Ind. Thomas finished with 186 yards, ahead of Brown’s 145. The Big Blue offense is ranked 18th in the nation, averaging 470.1 yards per game. Blair Edwards led the Tigers with 10 tackles and is second on the team for the season with 43. Terry Straughter added eight, five solo, and recorded a game high four quarterback hurries. Mekhi Brown and Khalil Jones recorded sacks for the defense. DeMarco Corbin crossed the goal line for the sixth time this season. Malik Abdul-Haqq notched his second blocked field goal of the season. Abdul-Haqq ranks ninth in the nation in blocks. Dajour Nesbeth tops the defense with 44 stops and is ninth in FCS play with 1.4 Passes Defended.

Jacksonville State is coming off a 21-14 win over UT Martin. Trailing 14-13, the Gamecocks scored with 29 seconds remaining in the game to claim the win. JSU enters the meeting with TSU ranked fourth in the country in total defense and sixth in total offense. The defense is holding their opponents to 261.9 yards per game, while the offense is gaining at a 514.2 clip. Josh Pearson leads the nation with 15 receiving touchdowns. Pearson has caught 46 passes for 769 yards. Zerrick Cooper leads the offense completing 160-of-259 attempts for 2,136 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. On the ground, Jaelen Greene has carried the ball 87 times for 467 yards with four scores. Defensively, Jalen Choice leads JSU with 56 tackles, 28 solos and 9.5 tackles for loss. Connor Christian is second on the team with 8.0 TFLs, powered by a team high 5.5 sacks totaling 27 yards.

Last 10 Results:2017 - Jacksonville State 36, Tennessee State 62015 - Jacksonville State 48, Tennessee State 132014 - Jacksonville State 27, Tennessee State 202013 - Tennessee State 31, Jacksonville State 15
2012 - Jacksonville State 31, Tennessee State 28 (OT)
2011 - Jacksonville State 38, Tennessee State 162010 -Jacksonville State 24, Tennessee State 02008 - Jacksonville State 26, Tennessee State 212006 - Tennessee State 38, Jacksonville State 31
2005 - Jacksonville State 33, Tennessee State 3

TV: ESPN+. Howard Gentry, Jr. will provide play-by-play and Derick Fleming brings analysis.

Radio: 102.1 FM will carry the game live with Greg Pogue (play-by-play), Albert Dawson (analyst), Gary Dawson (sideline) and Craig Ladd (Scoreboard). Pregame will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Quotes:
TSU HEAD COACH ROD REED(on performance at Southeast Missouri)
"Last week, I thought our football team was fired up. We got behind the eight ball real quick. We got down 17-0, but were able to climb back in it. We had the opportunity to get that halftime to cut it to a 3-point lead. They had a big second quarter, scoring 21-points. We came out on the first play of the third quarter, had a big run, we got down and didn’t get much out of it. Our biggest thing has been turnovers. If we don’t turn the ball over, I think it’d be a much different ball game. We got some stuff figured out there, but the two turnovers and the one where we turned it over on downs inside the red zone really hurt us. We have to do a better job at protecting the football, when we have protected the football this year, we have done a pretty good job. We’ve got to get better defensively. They have a really good quarterback, don’t get me wrong, they’re a really good football team. With Terry back at 100 percent, and the Wilkerson kid gave us fits all night. There are things we have to get better at, but I still think that if we don’t turn the football over, that would’ve been a much better football game."

(on posting a winning record this season)
"That’s a huge goal. We’re still in the running for the York trophy, and things of that nature, but going from SEMO to Jacksonville State is like jumping out of a frying pan and into the fire. You’ve got two ranked teams, but we feel like, if we can play our best game, we can play with anybody. We’re pretty good at home this year, we’ll have an opportunity to be successful. But, we know that this team (Jacksonville State) is well-coached. They have a lot of weapons. They’ll throw three-or-four running backs at you. They’ve got some big, physical receivers. Defensively, they’re always good. We have our work cut out for us, but our kids are up for the challenge, our coaching staff is grinding it out daily trying to figure it out, but we’re going to be ready to play this Saturday."

(on Earl Harrison and Te’Kendrick Roberson’s running game)
"We had a game plan. We rushed for over 250 yards – I don’t think anyone had done that all year against them. I think we played well on the offensive line up front. It was great to see those guys run, especially against a defense like SEMO. You have to give credit to the offensive line up front. They created some space for them to run, and Earl and Te’Kendrick did a really good job at finishing. Shawn McColley came in and had a 17-yard run, too. Our backs did a really good job and our line did a really good job blocking. We have to continue that trend if we want to be successful." 

JSU HEAD COACH JOHN GRASS
(on the win over UT Martin)
“We were very fortunate to come out with a win Saturday. It’s nice to play at home. The day was a great defensive day for both clubs. I think we played really good defense and I think they played great defense. Besides the last minute and a half of the game, the offenses just didn’t do a whole lot. I think it was an exciting game at the end. I think the last minute and a half, everyone in the stadium got their money’s worth, and we were just fortunate to come up with a win.”

(on facing TSU)
“We go on the road this week and play a really good Tennessee State team. Kind of just like UT Martin, this TSU bunch is really good. Coach Reed does a great job with his guys. They play really hard. They’re physical on both sides of the ball – front seven-wise. You look at them and they’re kind of like us. When they don’t turn the ball over, they can beat anybody. The problem in their losses is that they’ve turned the ball over and they’ve had issues there. When they don’t turn the ball over, they’re leading Vandy with seven minutes in the game and Vandy has to hit a deep ball to beat them 31-27. That’s what kind of team they’ve got. I think our guys are fully aware of that. We have to have a great week of prep."

(on improving the run game)
“We’re more balanced offensively because we can throw the football a little bit better than we have in the past. I think our run game has been pretty sporadic. We’re really good at times and we do some good things and at times we’re not. Anybody can tell you offense is continuity. It’s everyone doing their job. It’s everybody executing well at the same time. It doesn’t take but one guy to get a ‘minus’ on a play and it’s not a very good play. We had way too many of those plays on Saturday. UT Martin had something to do with it. They whipped us at point of attack and we weren’t able to hold the point. We have to correct our consistency. Some of that is youth. We’re young up front and we’re having play some young guys and they’re doing the best they can.”

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN RAEKWON ALLEN(on 500+ yards)
"It means a lot to the offensive line. It means me and my boys are out there eating, blocking together, good vibes, it means we’re dominating on front and tail and in the trenches."

(on continuing to produce for offense)
"It’s all about execution. Coach "E" does a good job of giving us looks and we go out there and execute in practice. When it comes to game day, it’s so easy because we’re used to it."

(on key factor that helped the line be successful)
"It’s all about trust. Trust is a big thing, communication – saying we’re four down, five down."

LINEBACKER BLAIR EDWARDS(on how to build off loss)
"We’ve got to fix all of our mistakes, and build off of it. We don’t like losing. We have to continue to win and get back on the winning track."

(on last two games as a Tiger)
"Don’t quit because if they were in my position, they wouldn’t quit as a senior. It’s very important. I would like to win my last two games at home, have a winning season."

(on taking on Jacksonville State as an Alabama native)
"I take a lot of pride. Growing up, everyone used to watch Jacksonville State where I’m from, and to beat them would be a great deal to me."

RUNNING BACK EARL HARRISON
(on getting two Tigers over 100+ yards)
"These past couple of weeks, we took a lot of time to put in the running game, to make sure we could get the running game going."

(on key things to prepare for next week’s matchup)
"We have to be on defense a little tougher in practice. We need more contact in practice so the defense can be ready to play. On [the offensive] end, we had too many mistakes and we need stay on blocks."

SAFETY LAQUARIUS COOK(on regrouping for final two games of the season)
"Just keep everyone’s heads up. Learn from our mistakes, and everyone needs to play hard to finish the season."

(on performancea in last two games at Hale Stadium)
"We’re going to be playing in front of our home crowd. Senior night is going to be one of those nights. We have to go out, fight hard and not give up."

(on what legacy he wants to leave)
"The legacy I wish I would have left is a national championship, or at least an OVC championship, but we can’t always get what we want out of life.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

TSU Women's Basketball Drops Season Opener, 64-62, at Lipscomb

FINAL BOX | PHOTO GALLERY

Final Score: Tennessee State 62 – Lipscomb 64 
Records: TSU (0-1) – LU (1-0)
Venue: Allen Arena
Location: Nashville, Tenn.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee --- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team dropped a tough, 64-62, decision to Lipscomb Friday night in the season opener.

TSU (0-1) trailed for the entire fourth quarter until rallying to tie the game with just 13 seconds left to play. The Lady Tigers saw the game slip away when Lipscomb (1-0) scored the winning bucket with 2.4 seconds remaining.

Taylor Roberts led Tennessee State in scoring with 12 points while Andreana Wrister (11), Cebria Outlow (11) and Lauren Elliott (10) also scored in double-digits.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• TSU Leaders
• Points:  Taylor Roberts– 12
• Rebounds: Jaden Wrightsell- 7
• Assists: Asia Sims and Taylor Roberts – 3
• Steals: Taylor Roberts - 4
• Andreana Wrister and Cebria Outlow each added 11 points while Lauren Elliott finished with 10.
• TSU shot 42.9 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from three-point range.
• There were six ties and 11 lead changes in the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• TSU shot 45.5 percent in the opening period and led, 15-13, at the end of the first quarter.
• Despite only scoring two points through the first seven minutes of the second frame, TSU kept it close and carried a 25-24 advantage into the halftime break.
• TSU used an 11-2 run to build a double-digit lead at the 6:10 mark of the third quarter but LU rallied off nine unanswered points over a span of two minutes to erase the deficit.
• Despite calling timeout to halt the Lady Bison run, TSU was outscored 11-5 in the final four minutes of the quarter.
• Lipscomb led 46-41 heading into the final frame.
• With 6:29 remaining in the game, TSU trailed, 53-50.
• The Lady Tigers stayed within striking distance and tied the game, 62-62, following a steal and layup by Taylor Roberts with 12 seconds remaining.
• Lipscomb connected in the paint with 2.4 seconds left to seal the win.

GAME NOTES

• The loss snapped a four-game winning streak over the Lady Bisons.
• Four players scored in double-digits for TSU.
• Andreana Wrister hit three triples in the game.
• Taylor Roberts had four steals, including the one that led to the game-tying layup with 13 seconds remaining. 

QUOTES
Head Coach Jessica Kern

“Bottom line…Lipscomb wanted it more than we did, unfortunately. We had young players out there who made young player mistakes. So we’ll learn and then we’ll strap up again and go to Alabama A&M.”
-On the loss

“It’s no surprise we’re missing a big chunk of our offense right now but that’s absolutely no excuse when it’s all said and done. We’ve got to be able to defend. Extremely disappointed with our defensive rebounds. We’re undersized… we know that. But we have to be able to stop the ball in other ways. Hats off to Lipscomb, they stayed composed even when it was an up and down kind of game. They stuck to their game plan and it paid off for them in the end. We’ve got to learn to be more disciplined on both sides of the ball.”
- On chemistry and defense

UP NEXT

• TSU returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at Alabama A&M. Game time is set for 11 a.m. in T.M. Elmore Gym.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Gold Nuggets win 4 major GCAC end-of-season awards

NEW ORLEANS — Led by double-winner Kayla Black and repeat winner Eva Le Guillou, Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball earned four major end-of-season Gulf Coast Athletic Conference awards Thursday evening.
     
The GCAC announced the honors at a banquet for teams participating in the conference tournament, which will begin Friday at SUNO's The Castle. The Gold Nuggets (24-6) are seeded first, have a first-round bye and will play Edward Waters or Talladega in the semifinals at 5 p.m. The championship match will start at 2 p.m. Saturday.
     
XULA's awards:
     •  Black — a sophomore from the Houston suburb of Spring, Texas, and a graduate of St. Pius X High School — was chosen Player of the Year and Attacker of the Year by the league's head coaches. Black, who has 357 kills and a GCAC-leading 3.68 kills per set, is first-team All-GCAC for the second straight year.
     •  Le Guillou, a sophomore from Velizy-Villacoublay, France, is Setter of the Year for the second consecutive season. She is first-team All-GCAC, moving up from the 2017 second team. Le Guillou leads the GCAC with 938 assists, the most by a XULA player since 2004.
     •  Pat Kendrick, who directed the Gold Nuggets to their most-ever regular-season victories and a 14-0 GCAC record, is Coach of the Year.
     •  Vivica Price-Spraggins, whose .408 hitting percentage leads the GCAC and ranks sixth in the NAIA, is first-team All-GCAC. Price-Spraggins is a sophomore from Chicago and a graduate of Whitney Young Magnet High School.
     •  Beatrice Formilan, whose 391 digs leads the Gold Nuggets, is second-team All-GCAC. Formilan is a freshman from Santorso, Italy.
     •  Taylor Ducros, third on the Gold Nuggets with 256 digs and eighth in the conference with 2.78 digs per set, received All-GCAC honorable mention. Ducros is a junior from the New Orleans suburb of Luling, La., and a graduate of NOLA's McGehee School.
     
NOTES:  The Gold Nuggets have three first-team All-GCAC players for the first time since 2014 . . . The GCAC first awarded Attacker of the Year, Setter of the Year and Defender of the Year in 2015. XULA has produced the Setter of the Year all four seasons; Black is XULA's first Attacker of the Year . . . Black is XULA's first Player of the Year since Chinedu Echebelem in 2014 . . . Le Guillou has won three major awards in two seasons; she was Freshman of the Year in 2017 . . . This is Kendrick's ninth coaching award at the conference level. She was Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year eight times during her 30 seasons at NCAA Division I George Mason . . . Black is the fourth Gold Nugget to make first-team All-GCAC as a freshman and sophomore; the others were Moira Kirk (2011-12), Taylor Reuther (2011-12) and Franziska Pirkl (2012-13). Pirkl is in her first season as a XULA assistant coach.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
XULAgold.com
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

CIAA Sports Network Set To Stream Volleyball and Football Championships

SALEM, Virginia -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Sports Network will stream its Volleyball and Football Championships beginning on Friday, November 9. Both championships are being hosted in Salem, VA, November 9-10, in the Salem Civic Center and Stadium.

Volleyball action begins today at 5:00 p.m. in the Salem Civic Center with the first semi-final game featuring the Trojans of Virginia State versus the Broncos of Fayetteville State. The second contest tips-off at 7:30 p.m. with Rams of Winston-Salem State taking on the Bears of Shaw University.

On Saturday, November 10, football is up first as the Southern Division Champs of Fayetteville State face off against the Northern Divison Champs of Bowie State beginning at 1:00 p.m. The game will broadcast nationally on Aspire TV and stream simultaneously via CIAASN from Salem Stadium. For fans who want to see the game in person, tickets are still available and can be purchased at the gate starting at $25. Reduced pricing options for students and children.

The Volleyball Championship game featuring the two semi-final winners rounds out the CIAA Championship action that evening at 7:00 p.m. All volleyball games are free and open to the public.

CIAA MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Road To The 2018 SIAC Football Championship

The Game Will Be Broadcast On ESPN3 at 3 PM EST

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The 2018 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Championship is no stranger to these two historic programs. On November 10, Albany State Golden Rams and Miles College Golden Bears will take the field to face off at a chance to claim the championship title.
 
Forty-two days after Albany State’s 30-24 win over Miles in front of their home crowd, the Golden Rams will have to prove themselves as they travel to Sloan-Alumni Stadium to face the Golden Bears on their turf. This time, the stakes are higher. An SIAC title will be on the line when the Rams and Bears clash on Nov. 10 in Fairfield.
 
Both teams clinched their respective halves of the conference with commanding performances this past weekend. The Golden Bears earned their second straight win over their rival opponent, Tuskegee, after Golden Bears scored on a 27-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds remaining then forced four incomplete passes for a 31-27 victory in front of a capacity Senior Day crowd at Sloan-Alumni Stadium. Albany State completed its sweep of the SIAC Eastern Division after defeating rival Fort Valley State University, 40-6, in the 29th Annual Fountain City Classic.
 
This matchup marks the eighth annual SIAC Championship game and the fourth time that these two historic programs will face off for the conference title. Since their first appearance in 2011, the Golden Bears holds the title for the most appearances in the Western Division (4), followed by Tuskegee (3) and Kentucky State (1) since the game was introduced in 2010. In 2011, 2013, and 2015, Miles has taken the field in hopes of a conference title and has had to face Albany State in each contest. The 2018 matchup will be no different.
 
WILL MILES COMEBACKS CONTINUE?
 
Last year, Tuskegee spoiled Miles chances at an opportunity for a Division II playoff berth after coming up short in a 50-20 loss. This year was different. Miles erased a 17-point deficit, the team's largest comeback win since climbing from a 21-point hole against Fort Valley State in the 2016 Labor Day Golden Classic. The biggest play came as Miles was facing a 3rd-and-19 from its 36. There, Smith (241 yards passing) hit Tyree for 22 yards to move the chains. Four plays later, the two made touchdown magic for the ninth time this season to give the Golden Bears the lead for good.
 
After a slow start to the season, the Golden Bears made a comeback after winning four of their five final games of the season securing their spot in the championship game. The turnaround came during homecoming as Miles picked up their first win over Central State, 41-20. From there, the momentum continued as they followed up defeating Kentucky State before a close fall to lane, 15-14. That did not stop the Golden Bears. The final two games were full of late game magic as the Bears picked up close victories over Clark Atlanta and Tuskegee.
 
Head coach Reginald Ruffin continues to lead one of the most successful eras in Miles College football history. He enters his eighth season at the helm of the Golden Bears, with two Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships as well as an additional SIAC Championship game appearance. Over seven seasons, Ruffin has won 60 percent of his games, going 45-30 overall.
 
CAN ALBANY STATE’S STREAK LIVE ON?
 
After a three-game loss at the beginning of the season, Albany State finally found their groove in game four in a conference win over Lane, 14-7, as the Golden Rams forced three incomplete passes before Jalen Bush and Roman Victor sacked Reynolds on fourth-and-10 to secure the win with a minute to play. From there, the Golden Rams have been riding a seven game winning streak as the Golden Bears are looking for revenge in the conference matchup.
 
The championship game is no stranger to Albany State as they have participated six years straight with the exception of last year after coming in third in the Eastern Division. The Golden Rams’ 7-3 record most closely resembles their 2014 season as they went 7-3 and rode a six-game winning streak before coming up short in the championship to Tuskegee. Under the leadership of Gabe Giardina, this year might be different.
 
Coach Giardina came to Albany State in 2017 after the most successful four year run in the history of Charleston Southern University football. As the offensive Coordinator at Charleston Southern, he was a part of a staff that amassed 35 wins, two Big South Conference championships and two FCS playoff bids over a four year span. The Bucs also gained national prominence by playing in the FCS Kickoff Classic against North Dakota State on ESPN and advanced to the third round of the playoffs vs Jacksonville State which was featured on ESPN2 in 2015.
 
In only his second year as head coach, he has led the Golden Rams to yet another championship matchup.

SIAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Road To The Championship HBCU Football Schedule, Week 11

THURSDAY, November 8, 2018

MEAC
North Carolina Central at Bethune-Cookman, 7 PM, TV: ESPNU

SATURDAY, November 10, 2018

MEAC
Howard at Norfolk State, 1 PM  TV: ESPN3
North Carolina A&T State at Savannah State, 1 PM  TV: ESPN3
Delaware State at Morgan State, 1 PM  TV: ESPN3
South Carolina State at Florida A&M, 4 PM  TV: ESPN3

SWAC
Hampton at Mississippi Valley State, 2 PM
Grambling State at Alabama A&M, 2 PM, Stats
Jackson State at Alabama State, 3 PM  TV: ESPN3, HSN  Audio  
Arkansas Pine Bluff at Southern, 5 PM, Stats  Audio
Bye: Alcorn State, Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern

OVC
Jacksonville State at Tennessee State, 3 PM   TV: ESPN+

OTHER CONFERENCES
McKendree at Lincoln (MO), 1 PM
West Virginia Wesleyan at West Virginia State, 1 PM
Texas College at Lyons College, 3 PM, Video

2018 CIAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bowie State vs. Fayetteville State at Salem, VA  1 PM, TV: Aspire TV,  theCIAASN

2018 SIAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Albany State vs. Miles College at Fairfield, AL  3 PM, TV: ESPN3

ALL GAME TIMES ARE SHOWN IN EASTERN TIME ZONE